Texas, San Antonio to be Anti Smoking Battlegrounds

WOAI.COM ^ | 12/17/02 | n/a

[Mark]

Texas, San Antonio to be Anti Smoking Battlegrounds

LAST UPDATE: 12/17/2002 12:26:17 PM

(SAN ANTONIO) -- An unlikely coalition of health and community action groups says it is poised to make Texas the 'most unfriendly state in the nation for big tobacco' in the coming year. The groups, which include health organizations like the American Cancer Society and community associations like the PTA, along with a core of experienced public interest lobbyists from Austin's political community, are pushing initiatives on the state and local level with the goal of outlawing smoking in all workplaces and public buildings in the state.

"Buying a pack of cigarettes does not entitle you to take away the clean air from the 85% of Texans who do not smoke," the group's spokeswoman Suzanne Lozano, a San Antonio nurse, told supporters today.

Among the initiatives include proposals before the Texas Legislature to raise the cigarette tax a dollar a pack, and to outlaw what's called 'pre-emption,' a tactic used by tobacco lobbyists to pass luke warm smoking limitations statewide and then forbid cities from passing stronger measures.

Julie Winckler of TRUST for a Smoke Free Texas says that's a prime tactic of the tobacco lobby.

"We feel it's easier to pass anti smoking measures on a local level," Winckler said. "We feel people are more passionate there."

The anti tobacco forces today released a Scripps Howard poll showing 74% of residents of San Antonio support a tough measure being proposed here, which would ban all smoking in all public places, and even place restrictions on smoking outdoors. San Antonio would join Boston among major cities with the country's toughest smoking control laws, and the San Antonio measure is seen as a model for proposals the groups hope to approve statewide.

San Antonio is seen as a key battleground for anti smoking laws because of it's huge tourism base. Bars, restaurants, hotels, and other businesses that cater to tourists generally resist restricting the behavior of their clients.

"Second hand smoke is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States," San Antonio Emergency Medical Services director Dr. Don Gordon said. "It is responsible for 56,000 innocent deaths per year."

Dr. John Nava of the Bexar County Metropolitan Health District compared smoking cigarettes with carrying a loaded gun in public.

"You have no right to place the lives of others in danger," he said. Nava said the prime beneficiaries of tough anti smoking laws will be waitresses, bartenders, and other service industry workers.

"Working in the service industry does not force you to give up breathing clean air," he said.

Lozano said the measures would leave citizens with the right to smoke "in their homes and in their cars and nowhere else," adding that businesses would not only be required to ban smoking inside, but the current practice of allowing smokers to lurk around entrances smoking would also be outlawed.

"There would be an area within so many feet of a public building where smoking out also not be allowed," she said. "It's not fair that people have to hold their breath and run a gauntlet of smoke in order to get into a building."

The groups are also pushing for 'comprehensive' tobacco prevention measures in schools, citing statistics released yesterday which show smoking among high school students hitting its lowest level in more than a quarter century.

"Now that we have proven solutions to reduce tobacco use, Texas' leaders have more of an obligation to implement them in our state than ever before," said Carter Headrick of the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids.

[maxwell]

Oh studies. WHO. Actual knowledge of recorded facts. Actual thinking. Later chick, it's Happy Hour... ;)

[SheLion]

SheLion, you keep pretty close tabs on this, are they that emboldened now that they have NYC smokeless? The whole thing is mindless, they shut down smoking and then bitch because tax revenues go down.
Is this a great country or what?

Well, when Mayor BloomingIdiot in NYC raised cigarette taxes to put them at $7.50 a pack, the smokers started going elsewhere for cigarettes. The Internet, Reservations, RYO and New Jersey. The Mayor didn't realize the huge windfall that he had predicted.

Now, he has a big hard-$$ for the City, and he hates smokers so much and feels put upon by the less tax revenue, that he wants the whole city to go smoke free. He is a controlling dictator, and no one can understand why Rudy ever endorced this little Hitler.

More On Bloomberg

[Servant of the Nine]

Dr. John Nava of the Bexar County Metropolitan Health District compared smoking cigarettes with carrying a loaded gun in public.

This numbnuts may not have noticed, but it is NORMAL AND LEGAL to carry a loaded gun in public in Texas. I would go to a Curandero before I would let someone like this medicate me. And I could smoke a cigar there while I waited.

So9

[SheLion]

Yes dear?

Ahhhhhh Max! How are you! I meant Max McGarrity. Sowwie

[Servant of the Nine]

If it's a long gun, there aren't really any state restrictions. You can legally walk down the street with a 12-gauge over your shoulder. The cops might bust you for public disturbance, or some such, but having the gun is legal.

They can charge you with "Rudely Displaying Firearms" if you are waving it around or being strange, but it is legal to carry it around.

So9

[Mark]

Taking a break from this subject for a good Christmas e-card site I've been posting on other threads:
http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=0284523947

[Slyfox]

I am not a smoker but I think the smoking/non-smoking sections in restaurants have worked out just fine. I do have two friends who are actually allergic to smoke and end up wheezing bigtime if they spend too much time in a bar where their is not a non-smoking section. So, I can see both sides.

This is really a private property issue. Businesses has proven that they can accomodate both smokers and non-smokers. That being said, I think that governmental entities are within their right to prohibit smoking in public buildings.

[Mark]

No arguement-- I stopped smoking a month ago. The taxes are liberals' way to hit smokers only because they are a minority group. If they all stopped buying cigs at the local places and roll own or get elsewhere these libs would be screaming.

[SheLion]

MARK! That is absolutely beautiful!!!!! Thank you so much for sharing it!!!!

[SheLion]

If they all stopped buying cigs at the local places and roll own or get elsewhere these libs would be screaming.

Mark, there are two smokers in this house. When cigarette taxes went up, the cost for a carton is $45-$50 dollars. That's $90 dollars a week. $90 times 4 = $360.

$360 = 12 months = $4,320.

We have been rolling our own now for 18 months. Roll one carton for under $8.00. See how much the state lost just with two smokers? And the savings for Christmas has been mind-boggling.

[Max McGarrity]

Sheesh. Could they have packed one more blatant lie or hysterical utterance in one article? I thought Texans were smarter and tougher than this. Of course, I'm not a very good judge of character--I thought New Yorkers were, too.

[Max McGarrity]

From your lips to God's ear. I hope you're right, but these crusaders are good at what they do (trample rights).

[Bonaparte]

"Second hand smoke is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States," San Antonio Emergency Medical Services director Dr. Don Gordon said. "It is responsible for 56,000 innocent deaths per year."

Now there's a man who should be drummed out of the profession immediately. He's not only a liar, but stupid as well.

[Bonaparte]

The Facts On The Second-Hand Smoke Scare.

[Bonaparte]

See post 53.

[SheLion]

The Facts On The Second-Hand Smoke Scare.

I'm quite aware of the site. Thanks a lot for posting it!

[Becki]

"There would be an area within so many feet of a public building where smoking out also not be allowed," she said. "It's not fair that people have to hold their breath and run a gauntlet of smoke in order to get into a building."

Well, why are they out there? It would easily be solved with a smoking lounge inside.

These same people will walk in exhaust fumes and not think a thing about it.

Becki

[Becki]

See how they lie? This guy said "56,000" deaths, and the AMA admits they LIED about the 53,000. The anti's sure are disgusting.

Why should a little thing like the truth stop them? Please. Don't confuse them with the facts. They wouldn't know what to do with them!

Becki

[Bonaparte]

You're most welcome...

And a great day in American history is July 17, 1998, the day Federal Judge Osteen Put The Smackdown On The EPA And Its FRAUDULENT "Second-Hand Smoke Study".